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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. track — a song
  5. swing — to play on
  6. craft — boats
  7. pop — soda
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. craft — a skill
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. track — a path
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pop — to visit
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. track — to keep track
  18. rash — hasty
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rash — a series

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com